


Boy Friends

by bigirlgiggles



Category: Newsies, Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Boyfriends, Budding relationships, Crushes, Crushing, Davey Jacobs - Freeform, Davey Jacobs/Jack Kelly - Freeform, Fluff, Jack Kelly - Freeform, Jack Kelly/Davey Jacobs - Freeform, M/M, Tickling, tickle fight
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-15
Updated: 2019-08-15
Packaged: 2020-09-01 15:29:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20260357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bigirlgiggles/pseuds/bigirlgiggles
Summary: Jack tries to take the next step, and Davey’s making it difficult.





	Boy Friends

Jack didn’t know how a guy as smart as Davey could be so oblivious. The guy spoke two languages and read stacks of books and helped Jack carry out and win a strike, but he couldn’t see Jack’s heart practically beating out of his chest whenever he was around. Davey was tone-deaf with his infatuated body language, not rejecting Jack’s advances as much as completely failing to pick up on them. He thought nothing if Jack rested his hand on his knee while they sat on the fire escape steps or if he reached out to brush a stray hair out of his face. Jack wasn’t used to having to work for things like this. Typically all he had to do was smirk and swing his hips and anyone he wanted would swoon at his feet, men and women alike. 

It drove him absolutely batshit crazy.

Davey wasn’t impossible to read, he just showed himself differently. He was chatty and excited and downright brilliant when he was around Katherine, rattling off facts of science and tales of historical figures and engaging in debates with her on the political issue of the day. Around Jack, he was quick-witted and mouthy, talking the shorter boy down a notch when he got too cocky and managing to help him see things differently. But he was so difficult to talk to if you weren’t being direct. Not that Jack didn’t like being direct, he just didn’t want to be  _ so _ direct and scare Davey off. He had talked to Katherine about it, and she gave him the same look she gives everyone when they're being downright stupid. He ignored it, as he had become used to doing. 

A week ago, they had kissed once. Briefly. Neither had the courage to mention it again and the next day Davey was even more withdrawn than usual, sending Jack an entire editorial’s worth of mixed signals. He knew those feelings had to have come from somewhere, didn’t they?

He was going to figure out Davey and his affection and why Davey wasn’t seeing his affection on his own, without Katherine’s “help” ( _ “Just tell him you like him, Jack, it probably won’t end how you think it will” “what if he never wants to see me again?” “davey loves you like a brother, Jack, and he won’t just up and go. That’s not like him.”) _

“Hey, beautiful.” Jack greeted him the next day, tipping his hat as they waited in line to get papers. Race mock gagged behind his back and smiled at the pointed look Jack gave him in return.

“Oh, hey.” Davey smiled, albeit slightly confused. He saw Jack every day, why was he being so nice now? 

“That blue shirt brings out your eyes.”

Davey smiled, a soft blush over his cheeks. “My eyes are brown, Jack.”

Behind Jack’s back, Race failed to conceal a loud snort. 

“How about we sell together today, just us?”

“What about Les?” Jack looked over Davey's shoulder to give Race a look that warned there would be a dead rat in his bed tonight if he didn’t help him out.

“I’ll take him. The whole block will hear us coming with those lungs of his.” Les grinned with pride at the statement, already eager to take a break from brothers and indoor voices.

Jack knew he was probably blushing terribly the entire time he bought papers and walked off with Davey. His heart thundered in his chest and if he had eaten breakfast, it would have come up by now. Sweet Davey. Smart yet moronic Davey.

Jack, of course, procrastinated all day. The perfect moment to tell him never came. They were unnaturally busy or the streets were too crowded or he just couldn’t get Davey to get his mind off selling long enough to talk about anything else than the weather or what he had been reading. It wasn’t until the sun was going down and they were sitting on the lodging house steps that he knew it was now or never. Les would be coming back any second and soon a bunch of the littles would be swarming around, looking for entertainment. He couldn’t tell Davey he liked him with Romeo and Elmer hanging off his legs, screeching with their noses running down to their chins.

“Davey, you know you matter to me? All that stuff I said about being like brothers?”

“I guess so. You matter to me too. You all do.” Davey had him in the first half. Damn. 

“But you in particular...you’re special.”

“So...best friends?”

“I love you.” He blurted, immediately regretting everything he ever said. He wished Les was there for a quick distraction. Davey’s expression, to his relief, at least softened. He wasn’t disgusted and he didn’t run away. That was enough for Jack at the moment even though he felt like he would die that very instant if Davey didn’t respond. 

“I love you too...best friend.”

“No, Davey-uhng” Jack scrubbed his hands over his face, squeezing his eyes shut tight for a moment before continuing. “This is hard. I love you like...differently. I love you a lot, Dave. The kinda stuff that drives someone absolutely wild. The kind of love that makes people do crazy shit.”

“Friends are good things to have around, Jack. It’s good when you love your friends, too. Gives you someone to do crazy stuff with.”

Jack sighed and rolled his shoulders, trying to piece together his dignity. “Dave.”

Davey did his best to hide his smirk and steady his voice, thankful Jack wasn’t looking directly at him.“Yeah, best friend?”

“You gotta be pulling my leg.” Jack rubbed his hands together, “I know yous thick, but I know yous not dumb.”

“I think you’re being the dumb one for not knowing I love you too.”

“...what?”  
“What?”

“What did you just say?”

“I think you’re dumb.”

“No, you said something else, Davey.”

“That we’re best friends?” Jack hopped up to his feet, already grinning like a fool despite Davey trying his patience. He wanted to run down the streets until he found Race and could tell him that this entire day was worth it. It didn’t matter a thing now, because Davey loved him as much as he loved Davey and he wanted to cry and sing and paint every empty space in the city with a riot of color.

“Nope, you said you love me, guess we’se a couple now.” Jack clapped his hand on Davey’s shoulder, looking him in the eye and just hoping he really felt the same as strongly as he did. All he wanted was to hear Davey say it again. And kiss that stupid playing-dumb look off his face. 

“A couple of really close pals.” He answered. Jack blinked, slowly.

“David Asher Ishmael Jacobs. I have ways of making you talk.” Jack put his hands firmly on his hips, mock-glaring down at him.

“You act like I actually stop talking around you.”

“As much as I sometimes wish you did-”

“Hurtful.”

“I’ve got ways of making you tell the  _ truth _ .”

“I don’t lie!”Davey nearly squirmed where he was sitting. Davey was known for telling the honest truth, not believing in remembering what you lied about as it was “too much work” for him. 

“I got ways of makin’ you tell the whole truth, Jacobs.”

The way Jack said it made Davey sprint into the lodging house off of the fire escape, nearly toppling over onto a bunk bed as he made it through the window. Jack was hot on his heels and Davey knew he couldn’t hold him off for long. He had never experienced Jack’s “ways” but he had seen them carried out on many a newsie during the short time he had known him. Jack spared not a single newsie big or small

“I’m gonna getcha, Davey. And you’ll be telling the whole truth loud and clear!” Davey turned over a chair, blocking Jack’s path and buying him some precious time to think of an escape plan. 

“Sounds great, best friend!” He couldn’t help laughing at Jack’s anguished groan. 

Davey dodged the littles before finally finding a semi-empty room, skidding on the rug and going to slam the door directly in Jack’s face.

Until he caught his foot in the door.

Damn. 

Jack stared up at him, scowling and marching forward until Davey’s back was against the wall.

“I’m gonna give you one more shot. You know Race is gonna want a piece of this, too.” He poked Davey in the ribs and his stoic nature betrayed him. A giggle, one that made Jack’s face light up despite his attempts at being intimidating. 

Davey twitched, attempting to protect as much of himself as he could. “Race and I are only friends, we’re not best-best friends like you and I, Jack.” He couldn’t believe he was trying to dig himself even deeper. He also couldn’t believe it was making him love this stupid boy more and more. 

“I’m not sure if you’re still gonna love me after this, Dave.” Jack couldn’t resist giving into the giddiness to reach over and peck his cheek before digging both hands into his ribcage.

Davey yanked away, giggles quickly overtaking him as Jack’s fingers worked against him. “Jack, no!”He begged so quickly, Jack couldn’t help but lean in and kiss his cheek again, grinning at the laughter and the fact that he got to kiss his boyfriend (boyfriend? Unofficial date?) without being terrified of rejection. 

“All you gotta do, Dave, is tell. Me. What. You. Said.” He punctuated each word by walking his fingers up each rib, sending Davey into hopeless giggles. 

“Now, I don’t recall. Did I say ‘pals’ or ‘chums?’”

“Oh, you’re  _ so _ in for it- Race! RACE!”

“You can’t call for backup! That’s cheating!”Davey squirmed as hard as he could, knowing that if Race were added to the mix he stood no chance of keeping up his fake innocent act. Jack had already started picking Davey apart by the time Race burst into the room, Les by his side. Davey was pinned to the floor and Jack had both arms held over his head, using the other hand to scribble at his belly and pinch his sides. Neither of them had seen Davey laughing so hard before, red-faced and squirming in a completely undignified way as Jack continued to torment him. Jack couldn’t resist giving little nips and kisses right under his jaw, by his ear. He and Davey had shared the kiss from before, ending in the halfway guilty look that made Jack’s heart ache. He was tired of the shame and questions and never being on the same page. And now they were and he pulled Davey closer, kissing his still-laughing mouth. Anything to be close to him and tell him he loved him over and over. 

“Oh, looks like you could use a hand, here.” Race offered, uncovering Les’s eyes. Jack could tell he wasn’t entirely sure what was going on but eager to add to the mischief. 

“Try his knees!” Les chirped, crawling onto the bed beside where his brother and friend laid.

“Les, you TRAITOR.” 

“Hasn’t Les taken enough from you?” Race joined Jack, grabbing Davey’s arms from Jack. “Hey- where do you think you’re goin? Les and I just got here.” He grinned down at Davey and Davey wriggled even harder under Jack as Race’s free hand made contact with his neck in light, fluttery touches. “Jack, do what the kid said. Try his knees.”

“I’m gettin there, just takin my time with it.” Jack experimentally squeezed just above Davey’s knees, beaming at the response of loud laughter it pulled from Davey. “Oof, he’s real bad here, Racer! I’d say almost as bad as your-”

“This ain’t about me, it’s about ya new little boyfriend here, ain’t it!” Race interrupted Jack, blushing up to his ears. Davey was kicking his legs out, nearly hitting Les in the face before Race flopped over across his lap.

“Wow, what kind of brother are you, anyway?”

Between Jack kneading his hips and scribbling over his belly and Race tormenting his knees, Davey was lost in laughter. Between gasps for breath, he accidentally let out a snort that turned heads.

“That came out of you?” Race asked. Les burst into giggles. Davey couldn’t help but notice Jack looked at him like it was the most precious thing he had ever heard. The noise was loud and interrupted his laughter like badly placed punctuation, shaking his shoulders and making him scrunch up his nose in a futile attempt to make it  _ stop _ . If it wasn’t bad enough, he saw Jack’s expression turn devious.

“Jack, nO-” But it was too late. Jack doubled down on him, curling up around him so he could attack his belly from behind, occasionally sticking a hand under his arms and digging in with those awfully dexterous artist hands of his. Davey couldn’t stop his snort fits to save his life, giving into the giddiness until his eyes began to water.

“Aww, does it tickle?”

Davey couldn’t answer, only managing to swat at him weakly. Jack was realizing he had begun to have enough and he motioned for Race to slow down. He gently turned Davey over and kissed his still-giggling mouth, pressing his forehead to his and laughing with him. 

“Did I go too far, Dave?” His face grew hot at the idea. The last thing he wanted was for Davey to feel uncomfortable, especially after the words they had so quickly exchanged. Davey only shook his head, chest still heaving as he tried to catch his breath.

“I hate you.” His grin told Jack he meant the opposite.

“You wanna try that again?” Jack asked, giving his belly a quick tickle, just enough to make him yelp. 

“Fine. I love you too.”

Race stuck out his tongue and pretended to gag, which set off Les giggling again.

“Hey, best friend? I bet we can make Race apologize for being so rude.” 

**Author's Note:**

> hit me up on tumblr bigirlgiggles.tumblr.com


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